diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index e73ad3ad2..c7cef198a 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ Changes
    * Split up the GCM module into a starts/update/finish cycle
    * Client and server now filter sent and accepted ciphersuites on minimum
      and maximum protocol version
+   * Renamed error_strerror() to the less conflicting polarssl_strerror()
+     (Ability to keep old as well with POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_BC)
 
 Bugfix
    * Fix for MPI assembly for ARM
diff --git a/include/polarssl/config.h b/include/polarssl/config.h
index b9eee8365..fddd50b68 100644
--- a/include/polarssl/config.h
+++ b/include/polarssl/config.h
@@ -325,6 +325,17 @@
  */
 #define POLARSSL_KEY_EXCHANGE_ECDHE_RSA_ENABLED
 
+/**
+ * \def POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_BC
+ *
+ * Make available the backward compatible error_strerror() next to the
+ * current polarssl_strerror().
+ *
+ * Disable if you run into name conflicts and want to really remove the
+ * error_strerror()
+ */
+#define POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_BC
+
 /**
  * \def POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_DUMMY
  *
diff --git a/include/polarssl/error.h b/include/polarssl/error.h
index 0c3fb801b..7658814d4 100644
--- a/include/polarssl/error.h
+++ b/include/polarssl/error.h
@@ -103,7 +103,11 @@ extern "C" {
  * \param buffer    buffer to place representation in
  * \param buflen    length of the buffer
  */
+void polarssl_strerror( int errnum, char *buffer, size_t buflen );
+
+#if defined(POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_BC)
 void error_strerror( int errnum, char *buffer, size_t buflen );
+#endif
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/library/error.c b/library/error.c
index 84570040f..833598ca5 100644
--- a/library/error.c
+++ b/library/error.c
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@
 #define  snprintf  _snprintf
 #endif
 
-void error_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
+void polarssl_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
 {
     size_t len;
     int use_ret;
@@ -613,6 +613,13 @@ void error_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
     snprintf( buf, buflen, "UNKNOWN ERROR CODE (%04X)", use_ret );
 }
 
+#if defined(POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_BC)
+void error_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
+{
+    return polarssl_strerror( ret, buf, buflen );
+}
+#endif /* POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_BC */
+
 #else /* POLARSSL_ERROR_C */
 
 #if defined(POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_DUMMY)
@@ -622,7 +629,7 @@ void error_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
 /*
  * Provide an non-function in case POLARSSL_ERROR_C is not defined
  */
-void error_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
+void polarssl_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
 {
     ((void) ret);
 
@@ -630,5 +637,12 @@ void error_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
         buf[0] = '\0';
 }
 
+#if defined(POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_BC)
+void error_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
+{
+    return polarssl_strerror( ret, buf, buflen );
+}
+#endif /* POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_BC */
 #endif /* POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_DUMMY */
+
 #endif /* POLARSSL_ERROR_C */
diff --git a/scripts/data_files/error.fmt b/scripts/data_files/error.fmt
index 93d1e4eeb..9a3e7e661 100644
--- a/scripts/data_files/error.fmt
+++ b/scripts/data_files/error.fmt
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ HEADER_INCLUDED
 #define  snprintf  _snprintf
 #endif
 
-void error_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
+void polarssl_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
 {
     size_t len;
     int use_ret;
@@ -88,6 +88,13 @@ LOW_LEVEL_CODE_CHECKS
     snprintf( buf, buflen, "UNKNOWN ERROR CODE (%04X)", use_ret );
 }
 
+#if defined(POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_BC)
+void error_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
+{
+    return polarssl_strerror( ret, buf, buflen );
+}
+#endif /* POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_BC */
+
 #else /* POLARSSL_ERROR_C */
 
 #if defined(POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_DUMMY)
@@ -97,7 +104,7 @@ LOW_LEVEL_CODE_CHECKS
 /*
  * Provide an non-function in case POLARSSL_ERROR_C is not defined
  */
-void error_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
+void polarssl_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
 {
     ((void) ret);
 
@@ -105,5 +112,12 @@ void error_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
         buf[0] = '\0';
 }
 
+#if defined(POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_BC)
+void error_strerror( int ret, char *buf, size_t buflen )
+{
+    return polarssl_strerror( ret, buf, buflen );
+}
+#endif /* POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_BC */
 #endif /* POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_DUMMY */
+
 #endif /* POLARSSL_ERROR_C */